Love Again?
by theconsolationprize
Summary: Wending Darling leaves Neverland and a heartbroken Peter lays waist to the lands. Unfortunately every 10 years a girl is whisked away to the enchanted world. This decade its seventeen year old Jessie Collins. Tentions rise and everyones wondering...can Peter Pan learn to love again? WARNING: swaring and sexual scenes in later chapters. Disclaimer: I do not own Peter Pan!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_The cold air whipped around the tall jungle trees. Snow coated the thick trunks and once green leaves began to shrink and coil into a most gloomy brown. If one was to go walking amongst the dark and sinister underbrush of the Neverland forests you may observe the savage footprints of the residents scattered across the frost covered floor. Creatures of all shapes and sizes live in the land that never changes. They would dance and sing and have most wonderful adventures. But that was then, and this is now. For the lands of Never have been plagues with the most deadliest of poisons. It cannot be seen, nor touched, but it is felt by all who dwell in this foul palace. This feeling is that of despair. It curls along the shorelines and creeps like a deadly fog through the lands from Peg-leg point to the dreaded Skull Rock. This despair not only winds its way through the mountains and valleys of the lands but also into the hearts and souls of the beasts that live among it. At this point you may be wondering what caused this frightful tragedy. How was despair allowed to mould the Neverland into such a cruel and dark place? _

_It started as all Neverlandish stories begin; with a boy. A boy who feared the hushed conversations of his mother and father and there hopes of his future man hood. A boy who ran away. Ran into the open arms of a place called Neverland. She was all he ever wanted. She was a mother, a friend, a worrier and a shining reminder of the joys of Never having to grow old. She promised him all he desired and attended to his every whim. Yet he grew lonely living with nothing but his Neverland for company. So she cried and in her tears the first fairies where made. At the sight of Peter's joy for these new beings she clapped her hands with glee. The winds from her applause brought a ship brimmed with bloodthirsty pirates. Peter was overjoyed at his new gift and proceeded to slice the sails of the pirate ship making the pirates red with rage. At which point the Neverland laughed and the sound made the mountains crack. From this crack appeared the first Indians to inhabit the island and a group of little boys adorned in animal hides. That night, while Peter lay sleeping in the house he made in a tree in the heart of the forest, the Neverland sang to him. These notes attracted legendary wildlife towards the kingdom. Mermaids, beasts, birds and a particularly large crocodile took refuge in the paradise of Neverland. Everything was perfect for both Peter and his beloved realm. _

_Many years passed and the Neverland flourished. Until one late afternoon Peter approached the Neverland nervously. "I'm lonely" he said hesitantly. The Neverland was stunned. She had given him all he had wished for. Yet he still wanted more. What could he possibly desire? Then she understood. It was the one thing that she could never give him. Although he did not understand in his innocent youthful form Peter Pan craved companionship. So that night she made a deal with Peter. Every ten years Peter shall be allowed to return to the main land and choose a girl of his age to accompany him back to the mainland. If she chooses to stay she shall live forever young with Peter in the Never Neverland. "But," she had told him, "You must look after these young ladies, they cannot die on Neverland soil. If one is to die here I will add one year onto your life. This is my final word Peter". "That's crazy!" Peter protested, "I would never let anything happen to a lady"._

_Years passed and Peter waited eagerly and upon the anniversary of the arrangement Peter, accompanied by a young fairy, flew away to the Mainland to find a companion. The Neverland hurt every second of every day that her boy was away from her. She could not guess how long he was absent but soon enough he returned with a young girl named Christianna. They played and frolicked on the island for many a night. But Peter soon grew board of her and escorted her home swiftly. Each decade the account repeated itself. After Christianna the Neverland saw an Elizabeth, Mary, Alice, Sylvia, Louise and a dozen more. That was until he met her. As soon as she arrived the island knew something was different. Of course there was the obvious distinction of her two younger brothers amongst them but there was a certain lightness that she had Never seen in Peter before. But as the Neverland knew, every girl longs in her heart to become a woman. So to Peter Pans dismay; Wendy Darling left him. _

_Neverland was pleased that Wendy had left. Though she chastised herself for even considering her own happiness over her darling Peters. He had loved her and she knew that. But she also loved him and she knew that she could never truly love Wendy as her own. Neverland waited anxiously waiting Peters return. She knew he would be upset but in all her years of being could not have foreseen what he would do. _

_His anger bit into the lands like a savage fiend. Swallowing everything in its path. The inhabitants of the island ran and hid in fear. Terrified of the wonderful Prince of Neverland. Any creature still alive went into hiding. The Neverland was now a dangerous place. _

_The Neverland could not control Peter and his rampant destruction and could not repair his damage as fast as he inflicted it and so, fearing for her own safety. She closed herself off. Retreating inside herself to the bottom of the ocean in the hopes that her once loving Prince would come back to her again….._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jessie Collins was sitting on her bed. It was the first day of the summer holidays and she was doing what she usually did at this time of the year. Sit inside and read. Thumbing through one of her favourite novels was, in her opinion, one of the best ways to spend a sunny afternoon. As she put the book down and turned up to face the ceiling, content with the feeling of finishing a good book, Steve, her step father, walked in.

"Hey kiddo!" he exclaimed, beaming at her in his worn and crinkly way, "I hope you haven't forgotten our arrangements for tonight". At the sight of her bewildered and obvious cluelessness he sighed, "You forgot didn't you?" Jessie shrugged, if it had been important she would have remembered it, so therefore, she had her doubts that this 'arrangement' was that important at all. At least not to her anyway. "Connie's kids are coming over for dinner tonight and I really want to make a good impression". Now it was Jessie's turn to sigh. Since her mum died last year her Steve had remarried and being her only legal guardian (her father left before she was born) she now had a new step mum. Not that there was anything wrong with Connie but now that her mum was gone there really wasn't any family left for her. "Hey don't look at me like that" , he said, flopping onto the bed next to her and pulling her into a one armed hug. She laughed at this fatherly display of affection. He really did try with her and she admired that. But she knew that in his heart Steve could never love her like he would soon love a child of his own. A child that her mum could never give him and one Connie was eager to give. Now at seventeen years of age she felt more alone in the world than ever. "So go get dressed and I'll see you in the kitchen in 20 minutes" and with a wink he walked out.

Jessie pulled open her cupboards. She knew that trying to impress Connie's daughter was no use but Steve said he wanted her to try and so she would try. The thought of sitting across the table from a stuck up eighteen year old who pretended to like her for the benefit of her mother did not sound like a particularly good way to spend the evening. She had no qualms with Sophie. It was just that she was much more…..experienced then Jessie and had done things that Jessie could not even dream about. The previous conversations that she had with Sophie still gave her red cheeks and sweaty palms. Never the less she pulled out a pair of her favourite combat boots with the soles worn to the sides, her only pair of jeans without rips in them and a maroon button down shirt. She turned to admire herself in the mirror. When it came to beauty Jessie was a realist. She knew she was not ugly yet nothing special to look at either. Her hair was not the color of gold it was, in fact, the color of mustard. Her eyes did not sparkle in the bright blue shade that a girl dreams they will when they reach adulthood. Instead Jessie's eyes were a dull blue and may glint, on occasion, when she got a speck of dirt in her eye. Her figure was lean but lacking the voluptuary that she wished it would have had by now and as she stared at her boyish image she cocked her head in disbelief. Was this really how she looked to everyone else? Did they see her as she did? A face like any other. Ordinary. These thoughts squirmed and wriggled around inside Jessie's head like a worm slowly devouring a rotten apple.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"That was a disaster" Jessie grumbled as she shut the door and flopped onto her bed. Connie's daughter had teased her about her appearance while Steve went to get more potato salad and Connie was in the bathroom. When they had gone up to her bedroom to 'socialise' Sphie had spent the entire time talking to her friend on her cell phone. The only time she talked to Jessie was to ask her if she had any cigarettes that she could have. At Jessie's reply, "No", Sophie had laughed and walked back downstairs. The highlight of this sad spectacle was when she had given that arrogant brat the finger behind her back and Steve had seen her and sent her upstairs to her room; which is where she lay at this moment.

Shuffling through her room she picked up the scattered items that littered the floor. She dropped to the floor to remove the stray sock that had fallen behind her bed frame and her hand rested on something thick and hard. Perplexed she withdrew her hand from the underside and withdrew an old book. It was a deep brown color and in scripted on the spine in gold lettering was the words "Peter Pan". She brushed the front with her fingers delicately, letting her hand rest on the image of a small boy that had been sketched in the same gold writing in the top right hand corner. Sitting cross legged on the floor she flipped to the front page, in scrawling cursive it read….

To Lily,

With love from Auntie Peg

Christmas 1954

XxXxX

She hadn't thought of her Grandma Lillian in years. She had always been an amazing story teller. Almost all of Jessie's book collection had once been in Grandmother Lillian's possession. This book in particular had been one of her favourites. She still remembered sitting on the old woman's lap in her old Victorian house in front of the fire with the book set in her lap. Jessie's Grandmother had the most beautiful story telling voice. A trait she had passed on to her Granddaughter before she had passed. She had never just spoken the words she had sung then in a tune that Jessie had not understood nor heard in any other melody. It ebbed and flowed through each sentence and wrapped around such words as 'sword' and 'hook'. As if to sharpen them to a point in her mouth before she released them. Always Jessie had asked for her to read one more page or even perhaps one more chapter. To which Lillian had always said in her crooning voice, "I wish I could sweet one, but all the best stories are meant to be kept for later". After Jessie had protested Lillian would hug her tight and pull her up and give her a swift kiss on the head. Then take her swiftly to bed. Looking back on these fond memories gave Jessie always felt a tightness in her chest. She had loved her grandmother and she had loved that book. Though she had never quite finished to the end. After her grandmother had died she had stopped reading altogether. Gradually she had started again. But never that book. It had too many sad memories associated with it. Deciding she had nothing better to do she opened to the first page and began to read. "All children grow up, except one…"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Whoa!" Jessie woke up with a start. How long had she been asleep. The last thing she could remember was starting her grandmother's book. And then; nothing. Wiping the sleep out of her eyes she stretched waiting for her eyes to adjust to the light and be welcomed by the familiar surroundings of her bedroom. After a minute her nonchalant expression creased into a frown. Where was she?

Sifting through her carpet she squinted her eyes to try and see through the darkness. It had never been this dark in her bedroom before. Particularly because directly behind her window and a few miles along a train station blazed all day and night. Still absently stroking the carpet she felt the chill of the air conditioning. But she didn't have air conditioning in her bedroom. It was an attic room. This is when Jessie realised that she was not, in fact, stroking her soft shag carpet. It felt different to touch and looking down her fears were confirmed. Grass. She could made it out slightly as her eyes familiarised with her new surroundings. A soft laugh escaped her lips. This was ridiculous. "If this is someone's idea of a joke", she yelled at the darkness, "You better cut it out now". No reply. "Sophie?" Jessie whispered, "you can stop now". The fear was seeping into her bloodstream. Chilling her more than the cool night air. Right down to her core and latching onto the pit of her stomach and clinging there. What was happening?

The fear had paralysed her and it took her what felt like several hours to stagger to her feet. In this time patches of light had managed to escape through what looked like a large jungle canopy. That was stupid. There are no jungles in London. She had woken in a clearing of about fifteen meters in diameter. This allowed her, she supposed, to have a clear view of anyone who was going to jump from the trees. She looked left and right. Half expecting someone to leap out of the darkness with a camera and point out all of the boom mikes suspended from the synthetic tree tops. Although she hated being embarrassed. This reality would have been much more comforting than the one she was presented with. Inch by inch she began to gain control of her body once more and with a sudden surge of adrenalin she walked into the dark tangle.

The dusk enveloped her and seemed to spiral its way up her spine and hold onto her. For the most part she was grateful for it. This was the only thing that was keeping her moving. Had she known what lurked in this tropical maze she suspected she would die on the spot. Scrambling past thick shrubbery and dense forest she continued her bout. Some would have called her determined but Jessie knew better. She was just plain stubborn. To her relief she came across a small pathway that wound through the vegetation. She suspected it had not been used in a while and she could not make out the prints of whatever creature had used it. Her chest gave a lurch as she examined the width of the track. It was large and this could only mean one thing. Whatever animal made these tracks was big or at the very least her size. Her immediate reaction was to head back the way she came but upon turning in the opposite direction she let out a scream of exasperation forgetting where she was for an instant. The trail she had made from her starting point of the clearing. There was no way she could navigate back and she hadn't seen any other clear areas since. There was only one solution and having watched her fair share of animal documentaries she knew that all animals lead to water and or food. As if by command her throat seemed to squeeze a little tighter and her stomach gave a lurch of disapproval. That settled it. And with her arms wrapped around herself she trudged off into the unknown.

What the mysterious track lead to was not what Jessie expected at all. Throughout the journey Jessie pictured large caves homed to gigantic beasts with fearful claws and sharp fangs and bright, hungry eyes. Instead; she found a hut. Yet it was unlike any hut she had ever seen. Its roof was made of old leaves and the walls that of red sap and sticks. What was more the door knocker appeared to be made of the sole of a small child's shoe and the chimney of an old top hat. "Surely", Jessie thought to herself, "Surely there are no children living in this god forsaken place". But as much as she hated herself for it. Jessie wished with all her heart that there were. Even after what a night here Jessie was missing the company of others.

Trying to contain her excitement she rant to the door and opened it. The first thing that hit her was the smell. It was off rotting fruit and decay. The moss that covered the floor had long since died and looking over to a small table constructed from logs she saw a bowl of fruit. Rushing to it she was bitterly disappointed. Apparently that was where the rotting fruit smell had been coming from. Further exploring the house she came across a bed. It was small. Only big enough for perhaps a young child. But looking at that bed Jessie's head began to droop and she felt sleep washing over her. Obediently,she walked over to the tiny bed and kicked her shoes off. Snuggling down into the old quilt she let the tears finally run down her face.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Waking to the sun streaming through the holes in the old roof Jessie stretched and looked around. Nothing had changed since yesterday. She was still tired. Still thirty. Still hungry. Still lost. Today would be about survival and Jessie knew that. If she didn't find water soon she would soon die of dehydration. Slipping on her combat boots she staggered groggily out of the house; hitting her head on the way out. The sunlight was blinding but it was a welcome change to the everlasting darkness that it had replaced. She drank in the slow summer breeze through her pores and stood in the sunshine for a moment, eyes closed, head tilted back. She soon realised that without water she would not have much time to admire this sunny day. Taking one last look at the little house she made her way once more into the wilderness.

Three hours? Four? Seventeen? Jessie couldn't tell how long she had been walking. This outing had not been as simple as she had previously thought. So far she had a scavenged a handful of berries, whether or not they were safe to eat Jessie was doubtful, about a cupful of water and a cagey looking banana she had swiped from the fruit bowl on her way out of the hut. She sat down in a patch of grass and started prodding at the peculiar berries. She finally figured she would rather die of berry poisoning then starvation and was about to pop one into her mouth when she smelt a fresh and wonderful scent. It travelled to her in the late afternoon breeze and made her mouth flood with saliva. It was a beautiful, sweet smell and before she could stop herself Jessie was walking blindly towards the scent.

Jessie was about to give up on the wonderful, delicious smell when something caught her eye. It appeared to be a picnic blanket. Positioned in the middle of a large clearing. Yet this is not what made Jessie stop and drop her jaw involuntarily. It was what was on top of the blanket arranged in a beautiful pyramid was a selection of some of the most exquisite looking fruit Jessie had ever seen. Mangos, Strawberries, Bananas, a few large Coconuts, Dragon fruits, Apples, Rambutans, Passion fruits and many more that could not name. She didn't even register her feet shuffling towards the display before she was standing right next to it. Without hesitation she lunged at the exotic fruits. Devouring handful after handful of the soft pulps. The smells and textures cloaked her and she felt pure bliss screen her vision.

Jessie was in such heaven that she did not see the seven small strangers approach her from all angles. Nor did she see the smallest of the lot edging toward a large rope connected to the tree opposite her. In fact, Jessie was so occupied with guzzling the fresh fruit that she did not even hear the authoritative yell of the tallest stranger giving the command to cut the rope. It took Jessie a split second to look up from her feast but this was a split second too late. The rope was cut and the blanket she was pouring over was hoisted from the four corners up into a sack. "Hey!" Jessie screamed through the sack, "what the fuck is going…..". At this moment the strangers proceeded to start beating the sack with large clubs and a solid blow hit the trapped girls head. What followed was once more… Darkness.


End file.
